Chapter 42

Desperation

‘Knowing is the first step to victory, Pasifae. Do not forget that...’

Pasifae wanted to snort as her twin’s words resonated in her mind. She couldn’t as she desperately tried to conceal her heavy breathing while struggling to stand straight. Her body was sweating immensely even though the surrounding was covered in ice. And even if she wanted to deny it, everyone fully understood that messed up, a lot. Not only did she overly underestimated her enemies, but she also had fallen to their provocations.

Pasifae couldn’t help but remember her brother while Hula and Duliri chattered, now that her mana reserve was running low. Because even if Daedalus and Pasifae Harkin were born from the same mother, their fighting styles were completely different.

Guile and deceit was his way. Daedalus was a calculative maniac who always found ways to exploit his enemies’ weaknesses. And his large arsenal of disables and debuffs allowed him to attack his enemies while they were vulnerable or couldn’t move. He was a master of anti-personnel magic.

Hers, on the other hand, was to overpower through brute force. Pasifae had a great mastery over destructive spells and magic with massive areas of effect. However, she had always struggled with magic that only affected a small zone as it had always been easier for her to spread the flow of mana, rather than compress it.

And that was her biggest mistake…

She used a type of magic that was out of her expertise, Still, how did they know? She wondered. To make matters worse, her seemingly powerless opponents used it so effectively against her. Pasifae had wasted too much energy and she almost laughed at her foolishness.

“So it’s true,” Pasifae said. “Mageha’Proté... the Spell of Eternity... To think that Katarina truly recreated a Lost Magic...” Finally, she was able to let out a convincing scoff, matched with a dirty glare towards Hula and Duliri.

She would never admit that she was deceived. Over her dead body. Besides, she wasn’t defeated by any means. She was simply weakened.

“But her version of Mageha’Prote isn’t perfect. Don’t think that you’ve won just yet!”

“You are mistaken, Lady Pasifae,” Hula answered. “We were never aiming to beat you. I would never think of such an impossible feat.”

She forced a smile which only resulted in an even more menacing expression. “Very well-”

“Drop the facade now, Lady Pasifae!” Duliri interrupted, laughing at her mockingly. “You don’t have much time to use any more spells, because Lady Katarina must be coming back. And you barely have any mana left. Admit it! You’ve been deceived…”

“Oi… Duliri,” Hula said flatly. “Why do you act like you’re the one who fooled her? Aren’t you the one who’s been panicking before?”

“Shut up, Mr. Sly Snake!” Duliri replied. “Because after three years, we’re finally able to do something noteworthy… Her ladyship will be pleased. I wonder-”

“No need to provoke her more, Duliri…” Hula interrupted. “Sometimes, a cornered and weakened opponent is more dangerous than an extremely strong villain.”

Pasifae let out a sigh, and then she laughed, pulling back the duo’s attention. “I truly abhor you two! I shall see to it that you break this time!” Pasifae then began to chant, prompting the serpent staff to soar in the sky. In response, she jumped in the air, spun like a straight rod, and kicked the staff back on the ground. “Los’Serkora!” she declared as she and the staff crashed down.

A thick circular wall of ice rose from the frozen floor, forming a colossal half-spherical prison that surrounded a quarter of the clearing. “Shiit!” Hula muttered, struggling to pull his lower body that got stuck to where they fell.

His alter hadn’t responded yet when Pasifae invoked a series of frozen spikes that emerged below them. Much to the lady’s dismay, the ice accidentally broke the ice that pinned them in place. Grabbing his only chance, Duliri flew away at their maximum speed.

But Pasifae was quick on her wits as she already finished her third chant. A large number of frozen lances launched in their direction, slowing down the staff. And because he was too preoccupied to dodge the projectiles, Hula didn’t notice that he had flown so high until he slammed hard in the ceiling. He was knocked down for a second and Pasifaed seized it. She summoned a large chunk of ice above Hula and Duliri, and before they got away, another was formed below them. To finish off the combo, Pasifae frosted the staff together with the slabs that sandwiched it.

A loud thud echoed, accompanied by cracking sounds. The frozen ground where the slabs landed was shattered to crystal dust.

Pasifae barely stopped herself from casting another series of spells to destroy the staff. Even though she so badly wanted to do it that her body began to shake in seething rage, she knew that it was useless. Her magical energy was also nearly exhausted. She couldn’t afford to waste more. So she closed her eyes, instead, and tried to sense her only hope…

“Where are you, little boy, where are you?” she whispered with a playful tone and after a few more seconds, she almost jumped in delight. “There you are,” she uttered before walking to the direction of the boy. Once close enough, she placed both her hands on the earth wall that separated them. She then shut her vision again and concentrated, chanting a similar wave spell she used on the boy before.

As cowardly as it was, Pasifae was desperate. She was beyond humiliated and she would do anything to give back the favor, even if it’s stealing mana from an unknowing and sleeping child. Besides, she had already discerned Mageha’Proté’s weakness. It was fully dependent on someone else, to whom an enchanted object was linked. The staff was magically connected to the boy and knowing Katarina, she would never endanger him. She must have put a threshold where the serpent staff would deactivate the enchantment.

Pasifae smiled victoriously. It was almost certainly a win-win situation for her. She’d get more mana while disabling her opponent’s trump card.

However, what Pasifae failed to realize was the prize that came after it.

***

Vlanca swiftly ran after Pirro, Garo, and Servo, passing through hundreds of large trees that separated her from her younger brother. Her hands were clenched into fists, her soiled feet ramming the tall grasses and dry leaves below them. Redness spread across her face as she breathed in quick successions.

A few more steps and they arrived in the frozen clearing. The girl abruptly stopped as she stared at a large mound made of ice - smooth and perfectly circular. The cold crept through her skin, but Vlanca remained standing like a still statue. Her breathing stopped as her heart pounded painfully against her chest.

“This magic…” she whispered, her lips beginning to tremble. She sensed a faint, almost fading mana inside. And she immediately understood to whom it belonged. The truth hit her like a thunderstruck, but she did not have long to be surprised. The three Arisens had started pounding the ice wall while Vlanca remembered Katarina’s words, “Please, make sure that Arthur is safe. I’m depending on you.”

Vlanca steeled her resolve and then helped destroy the frozen wall. Not even ten seconds later, they made their way inside. And when Vlanca thought that she was ready, the surge of emotions betrayed her. Pasifae sat above the icy floor; her back and head leaned against an earthen wall.

“Vlanca…” Pasifae whispered, her lips curved into a contorted smile, causing Vlanca to flinch, her eyes wide open.

The nightmares of her past had begun to hunt her again.